Machine for cutting sheet material into continuous strips



I F. W. MERRICK macmus FOR CUTTING sasm' MATERIAL m'ro CONTINUOUS s'mrrsFiled Juno 1, 1922 5 5116918411..

27 a fnvenzmb rFMMM R fm 26 I 83/ oQtorney.

May 27 1924. 1,495,960

F. w. MERRICK MACHINE FOR CUTTING SHEET MATERIQL INTO CONTINUOUS STRIPSFiled June 1, 1922 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fay 3'.

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May 27, 1924. 1,495,960 F. W.MERRICK T MACHINE-FOR CUTTING SHEETMATERIAL INTO CONTINUOUS STRIPS Filed June 1, 1922 5 Sheets-Sheet \l IJ- HI M MI F liltlllllllllllllIIii iTlllllllllllllllilll l 17HIIIII'IIIW In wanton May 27 1924. 1,495,960

F. W. MERRICK MACHINE FOR CUTTING SHEET MATERIAL INTO CONTINUOUS STRIPSFiled June I, 1922 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 82 I as In Vi to)? i W FLO @066 f. M25 7726 Patented May 27, 19.2

' 'riiim'x w. MEnRIc coF nonciinsrnn; MASSACHUSETTS, essreuonmo AMERICANSTAY COMPANY, or BOSTON, 'rtassecrrussrrsa coerce/Arron or MASSACHU-'MACHINE ron cnrrme smear MATERIAL ntro continuous s'rmrs.

Application filed June 1, 1922. serial N o. 585,046

ToaZZ whom it may concern."

Be it known that-I, FRANK W. Mansion, a citizen of the United States,residing at Dorchester, Boston, in .the county of S111- folk, State ofMassachusetts, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement inMachines for Cutting Sheet Material into Continuous Strips, of which thefollowing is a specification, reference being had therein to theaccompanying drawings.

The invention has relation to machines of the class designed for cuttingsheet material, for instance a hide or skin of leather, along a spirallineinto a continuous strip. More particularly, it relates to machinesof the type, in which the sheet material is revolved around its owncenter of revolution relative to a cutting device, so as to feed themargin of the sheet material progressively to the said cutting device,and in which also the centerof revolution is advanced gradually towardthe cutting device place along so as to cause the cutting to take therequired spiral line. v

The machine of my prior Letters Patent for impt. in machines for cuttingleather,

etc., into continuous strips, No. 874,102,

granted Dec. 17, 1907, is constructed to cause the revolution of a sheetof leather, while being operated upon, to be produced solely by theaction of feed-rolls adjacent thecutter engaging with the uncut marginalportion of the sheet. l/Vit-h such machine it is necessary,

before beginning operation on the machine,

to trim the sheet to a. circular or disk-like form. 1 v

One general object of the present invention is to enable a hide or skinof the irregular contour usual in the case of hides or skins aspurchased in the market, or other piece of leather or other sheetmaterial of any contour whatsoever as it comes tohand,

to be placed in a-machine embodying the invention, and operated upon bysuch machine without any preliminary trimming involving removal ofprojections, corners,- etc., and reduction to circular form. Anotherobject thereof is to provide for cutting the said projections, corners,etc, into strips adapted to be utilized by-piecing them togetherinto acontinuous strip.

The main and characteristic; feature of the present invention isarevoluble table or platf mserving as support and carrier-for therewith.y

thehide or skin or other sheet/ material placed in the machine to beoperated upon.

The. said :revoluble table supports the proe ecting portions, corners,etc. of the hide or skin, etc., .and byits rcvolutioncarries themsuccessively aroundto and past the cutter. Means for revolving: thetable is provided, adapted to be rendered operative; to

produce revolution thereof when desired,

and to be rendered inoperative asrequired; and feeding means adapted toengage With the progecting portions, etc., of t-hehideor T skingas they,arrive at and passthe cutter, and also with the marginal portion ofsthe.main body of the hide or skin .afterit has assumed a circularform. Themachine includes, further, var ous novel features of construction andcombinations of parts.

machine comprising an illust1'ative.;em- 'bodiment of the features ofthe invention'is shown .in the, drawings, inwhich latter,+-;

Fig.1 IS'ELll end elevation of'the said Ina-v chlne.

[Fig.7 2 is a similar view of the,

parts oft-the said machine, on a somewhat larger scale thanFig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a planview of the .niachine, the revoluble table partiallybroken away.

Fig. tie ,a view, in sectionin a-vertical plane, lookingtoward thecutterand the .presser;andflfeed disks from the end- Lot the machineopposite that shown in Figs. 1 and2. 1,

Fig. 5 is a bottom viewof the lower feeddisk and the parts which areassociated Fig.,6 is a view a, aajs sjaaaa a pit-11 extending from frontto rear," showing the revolubleand traveling..center for, therevolvingapron and the sheet materialwhich is operated upon in. the.machine, and some of the parts \vlnch are assoc ated with the saidcenter.

Figs- 7to 17 are ottlie details of the said center.

Fig. 18 is a View mainly inrear elevation, with the upper portion of thecenter and alsothe apron and sheet material in vertical section, showingthe, center", .its car- -riage,;portions; of the car'riage guides, and

the devices for unclutchingthe revoluble table from thecarriagetraversing 'IIIGELIIS;

';- -Fig.- l9';is. abottom'view of the "parts 1sh0Wninr ig- 1' ,-1. 1 1

a bed 1 which (as indicated in Figs. 1, 2

material, upon the table,

Figs. 6, 18 .and 19.

and 4) is inclined upwardly toward the back of the machine from thefront thereof, the front. being the side of the machine at which theoperator stands, such being the left-hand side in Figs. 1 and 2 and therighthand side in Figs. 3 and 4. The upper surface of this bed supportsthe revoluble table 2, which has the same inclination as the bed; andthe sheet 3 (Figs. 3, 6 and 18) of flexible material operated upon,which for convenience is represented by a hide or' skin of leather,rests upon said table. The inclination of the bed and table is for theconvenience of the operator, it facilitating the spreading of the hideor skin, or other sheet and the manipulation of the hide or skin andtable, by rendering them more fully visible and accessible. Therevoluble table, which herein is constituted of a disk of heavy wovenmaterial, and the hide or skin of leather resting thereon, are

engaged with the so-called center, which is indicated at m in Fig. 3,and around the axis thereof they revolve in unison during the cuttingoperation. The details of construction of the center, hereinafterexplained, are shown in Figs. 6 to 19. The center so is movable towardand from the cutter along a guideway extending transversely of themachine, such guideway being indicated at y, Fig. 1, and also more fullyillustrated in At the beginning of operations, the centeroccupi'es aposition at a distance laterally from the cutter, usually at or near thefar end of the guideway, and while it occupies such position the leatheris laid upon the revoluble table and engaged with the center. Thecenter. is then advanced by the operator along the guideway or until oneor more of the marginal portions of the leather has been brought closeto the cutter, and an adjacent portion of the revoluble table atapproximately the same distance from the center has been placed inposition for engagement with the feedj device for revolving said tablearound the axis of the center. Rollers 1 '1, Fig. 3, located .at variouspoints of the said surface facilitate this traveling movement of therevoluble table and the leather, and also the turning movements thereofduring the operation of the machine. i

The cutter 4, Figs. 2 and 4, by means of which the leather is cut intostrip-form is located at an intermediate point in the length of the bed1, conveniently adjacent the inner end of the guideway. In

some cases the form, etc., of the cutter may be varied, as found ordeemed advisable. In this present instance the cutter 4 is a Vdisk-cutter mounted upon the inner end of a short shaft 5, Fig. 4,extendinglengthwise of the machine, above the bed 1. The

' jacent the cutter.

said shaft is furnished with a pulley 6, Fig. 3, around which passes adriving band 7, Figs. 1 and 2, by means of which the shaft and cutterare rotated. The bearing in.

which shaft 5 is mounted is vertically movable, in order to enable thecutter to be adjusted vertically into the desired cutting 82, 82,projecting from the swinging support 8 above and below the fulcrum ofthe latter. By means of these adjustment screws the edge of thecuttermay be adjusted to a nicety with relation to the plate 31 and thesurface of the revoluble table 2. Herein the said bearing is provided inconnection witha vertically swinging support 8, Figs. 1 and 2, which'ispivoted at 9 to a support 10in connction with two pairs of elevatedsupporting rails 11, 11, Figs. 1, 2, 3, extending from front to rear ofthe machine. By nieans'of a clamp l2'the support 10 is secured in placeupon said rails with capacity for adjustment in the direction from frontto rear, so that the cutter may be adjusted in such direction to presentthe acting portion thereof in position to out in a -line approximatelytangential to a circle described around right angles at the end of aradial line extending from the center a. The plane of the cutter departsjust sufliciently from a tangent to enable the cutter to draw slightly,which improves the cutting action and ensures greater uniformity in thewidth of the strip cut from the material. 7 7

Provision is made, as previously indicated herein, for producingrevolution of the table 2 and the leather resting thereon around theaxis of the center. In this instance, such revolution is produced bymeans of devices adapted to engage with each thereof in proximity to thecutter, in order to ensure a substantially uniform rate of periph eralspeed of the hide orskin, or other piece of sheet material operatedupon. To

this end, in the illustrated machine a pair of feed disks 13, 14, Fig.4;'is located ,ad-

The lower one, 13, is de: signed to engage with the under surface of thetable 2, andthe upper one, 14, is designed to engage with the uppersurface of the piece of leather 3. The respective feed-disks havefrictional or other suitable engaging peripheries for more efiectualdriving engagement with the revoluble table and leather. In the presentcase, disk 14 isshown as having a toothed periphery,

and disk 13 is supposed to be clothed with smooth frictionally adhesivesurfacing. The two feed-disks are mounted, respectively, upon the innerends of twoshafts, 15, 16,

Figs. 3, 4 and 5, one above the other, which are geared together byspur-gears 17 at their outer ends to cause them to revolve in unison.One of said shafts is furnished with a driving-band pulley 18 to whichdriving power is applied by means of a driving band, not shown.

. I mount the lower feed-disk in a main ner enabling it to occupy eithera position in engagement with the under side of the revoluble table, orone in which it does not engage with the said table. To this end, theinner portion of the shaft 16 of the said feed-disk in the illustratedmachine is mounted in a bearing provided in connection with-a verticallyswinging supporting arm 19. The said arm is supported pivotally bycenter-screws 2 0, 20, carried by lugs of a stand 21 attached to theunder side of bed 1.. The extent of the'movement of the lower feed-diskdownwardaway from the under side of the revoluble table is limited bymeans of an adjustable stop-screw 22 applied to the supporting arm 19 atthe opposite side ,ofthe center-screws'from that at which the lowerfeed-diskjis mounted and adaptedtostrike againstthe under side of theplate-portion of stand 21 as the lower feed-disk is depressed away fromthe 'revoluble table.

I provide means for enabling, at the will ofthe operator, the lowerfeed-disk to be moved upward into its worlc ing position, in engagementwith the under side of the revoluble table, or to be moved downward awayfrom such position, into the inoperative relations with respect totherevoluble table in which it is shown in Fig.

4. In the illustrated machine such means is constituted by a rockerarrange ment shown in Figs. 1, 2, 4: and 5, connectedwith the supportingarm 19 and comprising a rocker 23 journalled in a; bearing in connectionwith a stand 24 attached-to theunder side of bed 1 an operating handle25projecting-from said rocker, a crank-arm 26 which is a part of therocker, and-a link '27 con'necting the said crank-arm to an extension 28from the supporting arm 19. v By means of this rocker-arrangement theoperator may swing the lower feed-disk down into its inoperativeposition represented in Fig. 4, so as to enable him to move the rev-,oluble table transversel into osition over such feed-disk, or withdrawit from such position, or to disengage the said feed disk from therevoluble table when the driving action of the lower feed-disk upontherevoluble table is to be suspended; or he may swing the saidfeed-disk up into operative postion, in engagement with theunder side ofthe revoluble table, for thepurpose of re-' volving the latter. In orderto lock the parts with the lower feed-diskin engagement' withthe undersurface of the revolub e tab a their gker. so. formed hat t turningmovement thereof which raises the 7 strips.

tlower 'feed-disk carries the crank past the center onuvhich the rockerrocks, the link 27 being curved, as shown, to reach around therockshaft. To render the upward pressure of the lower feed-diskyielding, the extension 28 fromfthe supporting arm 19 is made of springmaterial. In this instance the-said extension is composed of two stripsof steel (or other suitable elastic material) and, the lower end oflink. 27 is engaged with the outer endsof the said One of such stripshas a bend thereinfitting the rounded exterior of the enlargement onarm19 containing the hearing for shaft 16., and its inner end. isfastened by a screw 29 to the under side of arm 19. The other(281) ofthe strips makes contact with the exterior of the bend of the stripfirst mentioned, and is engaged at its inner end with an adjustmentscrew 30 carthe extension may be adjusted to regulate the upwardpressure of the lower feed-disk against the under side of the revolubletable. For the purpose ofsupporting the leather above and clear of therevoluble table at' and adjacent the cutting pointin the machine, andavoiding contact of the cutter with the revoluble table,'and in additionholding down the revoluble -table,a separating plate 31, Figs. 3 and i,is locatedbetween the two feed-disks. This separating plate is designedto intervenebetween the revoluble table and the leather at .and adjacentthe cutting point in the machine. It constitutes a cutting table. Thelower feed-disk 13, when raised from its lowered position in Fig. 4, inwhich its periphery is clear of, the under surface of the revolubletable, into a position inwhich it presses the revoluble table againstthe under surface of the separatingplate, acts through its engagainentwith the under sur faceof the revoluble table to cause the laterarevolve around the axis of the center To separate the leather from therevoluble table andguide it on to the upper surface of theseparatingplate or cutting table 31,

lifter 32, Figs. 3 and 4, constituted by a thin-edged strip or plate ofmetal is attached to the separating plate or cutting table 31,- itprojecting rearward from such plate and inclining at its free end towardthe revolution of the revoluble table and leather, so that they will notenterbeneath plate 31, between the said plate and the revoluble table,but will be guided to the top surface of the plate and be subjected tothe pressureand feeding action of the upper feed-disk, as well as to thecutting action of j 'the knife, as they pass the cuttmg pomt 1n ingaction of the upper feed-disk projecting portions, corners, and thelike, are held down in place upon the plate 31 so that they shall be cutproperly as they pass the cutter.

To cause the upper pressure-disk to bear upon the leather with theproper degree of force, the inner portion of the shaft'15 of the upperfeed-disk is mounted in a bearing in connection with one arm of alever=like supporting arm 34, Figs. 1 and 2, which is mounted pivotallyat 35 in connection with a stand 36 supported by the pairs of supportingrails 11, 11. A spring 37 connected to the said pivoted supporting armoperates V to press the upper feed-disk downward toward the uppersurface of plate 31, and ensures proper engagement of the feed-disk withthe leather passing over such plate. Stand 36 is held in place uponrails 11, 11, by means of a clamp 38, and is adjustable len thwise'ofsaid, rails to enable the upper feeddisk to be correctly positioned,forwardly or rearwardly, relative to the cutting point.

The strip-like portions of leather which at first are cut from theirregular projecting portions, corners, etc., of the leather, and thecontinuous strip 8, Fig. 4, which subse quently is cut from the roundedcircular disk-shape which the leather is caused to assume, are guidedfrom the cutting point between side-walls or flanges 33, 33, inconnection with the plate 31, and pass away through a conducting troughformed of extensions of saidplate and flanges.

The machine is furnished with an inclined guide for the purpose ofguiding projecting portions, corners, and the like, of the revolvingsheet of leather downward as they approach the cutting point in themachine, so as to ensure their proper entrybetween the upper fed-diskand the cutter, and the plate 31. As illustrated, such guide isconstituted by the lower run of an endless band or belt 39 which isextended from a pulley 40 that is fast with the upper feed-disk 14 to asecond pulley 41that is mounted in a more elevated position at the rearof such feed-disk. This endless band or belt moves at the same surfacespeed as the upper feeddisk and the peripheral portions of the leather,and its lower run guides and presses down the projections, corners,etc., of the leather so that they enter beneath the 11 per 1 feed-diskand the plate 31'withoutdisp ace- 7 so as to maintain the inclined beltunder the required degree of tension.

For the purpose of wiping down any upstanding projecting portions of theleather as they approach the'cutting point, to thereby ensure that theyshall pass in beneath the lower run of the inclined band or belt 39, Iprovide a tapered wheel 44,Figs. 1, 2, 3 that is mounted at the rear ofthe cutting point upona shaft 45' which in turn is mounted in a bearingin connection witha stand 46 attached to rails 11, 11, with. capacityfor adjustment frontward and rearward. This wheel 44 is rotated by meansof apulley 441 fixed thereto and a driving band 442 passing around suchpulley and a second pulley, 443, fixed to the revolving shaft 42.

Referring now to the center 00, Fig. 3: This is mounted upon a carriagethat is movable in the guideway 3 Fig. 3, toward and from the cutter.With the center is combined means whereby as the center is rotated thecarriage and center are fed automatically toward the cutter at a rateproperly proportioned to the width of the strip which is being cut fromthe marginal portion. of the leather. The center is engaged with thecentral portion of the revoluble table, and means is provided also forconnecting the central portion of the leather with the center, so i thatwhether the lower feed-disk is acting through engagement with therevoluble table, or both feed-disks are acting simultaneously upon boththe revoluble table and the leather,

or the upper feed-disk alone is acting upon the leather, rotation of thecenter is ensured. Means is provided, in addition, for automaticallyunclutching the revoluble table from the center when the carriage andcenter have arrived at a predetermined point in their travel. 1

In the case of the construction shown in Figs. 6 to 19, the center isprovided with an upright shaft portion 48, shown separately in Figs. 7,8 and 9, Sheet 4, that is fitted and revolves within bearings in theupper and lower portions 49, 50 of the carriage. Fig. 7 shows said shaftportion in side elevation,

Fig. 8 is a top'viewthereofland Fig. Sis a of the carriageis locatedbetween the parallel guide-bars 51, 51, which; are grooved to receivethe lateral flangesv otfsaid portion 49, A spur-pinion 52 upon theupright shaftportion 18 of the center is in engagement with a largespur-gear 53 supported by the carriage, and with such spur-gear iscombinedja spur-pinion 5,4. A longitudinally extending, rack-bar 55 fixed toone oftheguide-bars.51

is engaged, by pinion 52, and. thereby asthe. center is rotatedthecarriage and center, and;

consequently the revoluble table andfthe leather connected with thecenter, are, fedto ward the cutter.

The engagement of the center with the;

revoluble table in such manneras, j edmpe1j the two to revolve in unisonisprovidedl'for in the illustrated constructiom Figs. 6' t o 1 8 byclutching the central portion of the revolulole table to the upper endof 'tlie shaftportion 4801? the center. I 11 this instance to providefor such clutching the. said end is formed wit-hga radial flange 5,6.abo ve the guide-bars 51, 5'1, and, also is formed a central? hole 57,Figs. 7 and 8, having the wall'thereof screw-threaded. A head-por-v tionshown separately in Figs. 10/and11,

Sheet at, is provided, it being tormed-witha radial flange 58, a hub59*belowsaid flange, and a screw -threadedextensionv 60 below: said.hub. A central hole or eyeof proper size toreceive the saidhu-b 59-. isiorined'in; the revoluble table 2, and two washers,;62, 62 1', Figs. 6,12 to 15, and 18; are fastened by screws 63, 63, Fig. 6, to the saidtable around such hole or eye, at topand bottom respectively, ofthetable. The hub;59,0fthehea dportion occupies the said centralholeoreye of the revoluble table and thesholes of the washers, and thescrew-threaded extension 60 is screwed into the hole; 57 of;the-shaftportion until the lower end oft-the hubbrings up against a seataround the. said-hole: 5,7, without however, pinching the washerssoas toprevent turning movement of the revo lubl'e table relative to theshaftrportion. The simple clutch shown in Figs. 6, 10, 11, 12, 13, 1 1,15, and 18 comprises as its-chief ele-. ments a strip 64 of steel, shownin Figs. 6 and 1 8, occupying a rectangular hole 65, Fig. 10, madetransversely through the head-portion, such-hole being enough larger.vertically than-thethicknessof the strip to permit vertical movement ofthe strip, within the hole, Theradial flange 58 ofthehead-portion. is atits under-side grooved diametrically at'66', Fig. 11, in extension ofthe hole v65, the said groove being adapted to receive the-strip 64. Thetop' washer 62' likewise is formed in; its upper side with adiametricill groove 661', Figs. 12 and 1S, adapted to receive the-strip641. The strip is bent slightly in the direction of its length, so thatnormally, one end;

portion. thereof will occupy the groove 661 in washer 62 and the otherend-portion thereof willoccupy the groo've 66 in the under side of theflange 58; of the l1eadportion. I Thus, by means oftheflclutching strip.64 the, central portion of. the V revoluble table will be clutched. totherevoluble center, so thatzinj consequence of the revolution of said;table produced through the action, of the lower feed-disk,,the centerwill be caused to revolve; producing by means ofthe pinions,v gear, andrack which have been described a traveling I or traversing, movement, orthe carriage 5,01, and. the center, as, well as of the revoluble tableand. the sheet material therec a' thecutter- For. the engageinent ofthefleather or, othersheet material: 8 withthe center, the head-,portion of the center is provided with a screw-threaded.studf6l, Figs.6,. 10, 11, and 18-; rising centrallytherefrom. A cylindrical blQGk, 67,Figs, 6, '16, 17, and 18, provided for application; to. the saidupstanding celir threaded hole "68 7 made vertically there:througlntorfitithe said stiidg For the. applicao'fthe'leatheii or othersheet material a hole isniade through, the --latter as indicatedinvFigs. 6and118tolaccomniodate the stud, I andthe leather or, o't'herrsheet material is passed down, around the stud untilit rests upontheflai gfifl ethe block. 67 being then applied toztlie studandscrewedjdownuntil leatherclamped with. sufficient firm: ness, betweenthe block, and the fiange 58. Thereby the leather is clamped, to v theShaft,- p'ortion; of; the center, so as to cause theleather-and'thecenter, to revolve in unison with whether. i i V I 1 in1171: ozprov d r a tom dis? connection on. uncliitehing of. the,revo'luble tablegfiig olh, the sha-ftiportion' of the center atthedesired point; the travel, of the center, toward; the cutter, I, haveprovided uheliithing devices cempnsing; a rod; 69, and 18,oceupyinggacentral, bor orlongi tudinalpassage within the shaft portion48 of:- the center, with its uppel end close to the under; side of theclutclrstrip 64; and its-lowerend projecting down below the; lower endofthe shaft-portionAS. For the actuation. of the pin. 69-, a, lever 70'isispos d, beneath he o er end of, h Pill, such; end resting on, the top.of the lever. The lleve risinounted pivotally at 71, Fig.

,18, upon; a, support 72 connected to. theicartravel ofxthe carriagetoward the'cutter', and to, ride up, onto, the top of the railfso gage.the inclined end of a; rail 75 in they oluble table.

, spectively, Figs.

that thereby the lever 70 and pin 69 are moved upward and theclutch-strip 64 is pressed up from the diametrical groove 661 of the topwasher 62, Figs. 12 and 13, into the diametrical groove 66, Fig. 11, "inthe flange 58 of the head-portion of the center, thereby unclutching therevoluble table from the center.

It is intended that the unclutching of the revoluble table shall occurafter the hide or skin, or other material operated upon, has beenreduced to circular form. Until that stage is reached in the reductionof the hide or skin, or other piece of material, the actuation of therevoluble table by means of the engagement of the lower feed-disktherewith is depended upon to cause the'hide or skin, or the like, torotate, and to bring about the travel of the center along the table.After the arrival of such stage, and when the engagement ofthe upperfeeddisk with the hide or skin, or the like, has become effective torotate the same and the center, etc., the unclutching is caused to takeplace. At such stage, also, the operator lowers the lower feed-disk outof engagement with the rev- Thereafter, the engagement of the upperfeed-disk with the hide or skin, or the like, is depended upon toproduce the required rotation, etc.

To provide for disengagement of the pinion 54 from rack when required,and reengagement therewith, the 'said pinion, together with the gear 53with which it is connected are mounted upon an arm 76 which in turn ishung uponthe shaft-portion 48 by means of bearing portions fitting thesaid shaft-portion at 761 and 762, re-

6 and 18, below and above the spur-pinion 52. This mode of mounting thesaid arm 76 enables it, together with the pinion 5.4 and the gear 53mounted thereon, to be swung horizontally so as to disengage the pinion54 from the rack 55 and reengage it therewith. The pinion 54 is heldnormally in engagement with the rack 55 by means of a contracting spiralspring 77 having one end thereofengaged with a screw 78 projecting fromthe free end of a rearwardly projecting arm 501 of the arm 76 and theother end thereof engaged with a screw 7 81 projected from carriage 50.To provide for the convenient actuation of the arm 76 to effect thedisengagement of pinion 54 from the rack 55, a horizontal .arm 79 ispivoted as at.80,.Fig.19,to the rearwardly projecting arm 501 of thelower portion of the carriage, the said arm 79 having a lateralprojection 791 having a notch 792 adapted to engage a downwardprojection 81 from arm 76. For, the actuation of 'the arm 79 an endlesscord 821 extends in opposite directions from the arm 79, around a set ofsheaves 83, 83, below the bed 1, (see Figs. 1 and 2) arranged so thatone portion of the cord extends lengthwise of the machine, parallel withthe guideway 3 sufficiently near the front of the bed 1 to enable it tobe reached and grasped by the operator. By pulling upon the cord 821 inthe proper direction, the lateral projection 791 of arm 79' may becaused to act against the projection 81 to swing the arm 76 sufiicientlyto disengage pinion 54 from rack 55, to permit the carriage and centerto be shifted by the operator into the desired position lengthwise ofthe machine without rotation of the center. The entrance of projection81 into notch 7 92 holds the arm 76 locked with the gearingdisconnected. This action may be utilized for the purpose of moving thecarriage and center, with the connected revoluble table andsheet ofleather, into any desired starting position relative to the cutter.

A weight 831'suspended by means of a together pulley 84 in'a loop orbight of a cord 85, 7

hook 88, Figs. 18 and 19, on the carriage,

acts with a tendency to draw the carriage and center toward the end ofthe guideway 31 opposite that at which the cutter is lo cated, and byopposing yieldingly the advancing movement of the carriage and centertoward the cutter takes up any backlash there may be in theinterengagement of the toothed gears and rack, thereby ensuring auniform rate of travel oft-he carriage and uniformity in the width ofthe strip cut from the leather or other sheet material operated upon.

g In starting operations, a hide or skin of leather having beenconnected with the center, and the center together with the revolubletable and leather having been shifted by the operator to introduce themargin of the revoluble table between the plate 31 and the lowerfeed-disk 13, the latter occupyin at such time the depressed position inwhic i it is shown in Fig. 4, the operator by means Simultaneously withthe said revolution,

the center,- revoluble table, and hide or skin are advanced toward thecutter at the rate provided for in order to bring about the cutting ofthe leather spirally. As the revoluble tableand hide or skin rotate, andare fed transversely with reference to the cutter, the corners and otherprojecting portions are brought around successively, and slipping overthe lifter 32 onto the top of the plate 31, and between the said plateand the upper feed-disk, are engaged by the latter, so as thereby to befed with certainty past the cutter,.so that a narrow strip is cut fromeach corner or other projecting portion as it comes around. The disk orwheel 44: operates to deflect any upstanding corners or projectingportions down so that they will pass under the inclined lower run of theband or belt 39 working alongside the upper feed-disk, and said portionof such band or belt operates to guide the corners and other projectingparts downward so as to insure their proper entry between the upperfeed-disk and the guide-plate 81. The corners or other projectingportions of the hide or skin are gradually reduced as a result ofsuccessive strips being cut from the same, until the remainder of thehide or skin has been given an approximately regular circular form.Following this, a continuous strip is cut from the remainder of the hideor skin, until a small disk of six or seven inches in diameter is allthat is left, whereupon the operation is discontinued.

As will be clear from what has already been stated herein, in theprimary stages of the cutting, the engagement of the lower teed-diskwith the margin of the revoluble table is relied upon to revolve thelatter, and thereby revolve the center and the hide or skin, until thehide or skin has been reduced to a circular form whereupon thecontinuous engagement of the upper feeddisk with the marginal portion ofthe leather will produce a continuous feeding action tending to rotatethe leather, center, etc. As soon as the hide or skin has been reducedto the circular form, or shortly thereafter, the operator operates therocker 23 to depress. the lower feed-disk out of engagement with theapron, and at such stage the automatic unclutching of the revolubleapron from the center occurs, following which the hide or skin andcenter, and revoluble table will be revolved through the engagement ofthe upper feed-disk with the margin of the leather.

What is claimed as the inventi0n is: 1. A machine for cutting sheetmaterial spirally into a continuous strip comprising,

essentially, a cutter, a revoluble table for supporting the sheetmaterial, a bed upon which the said revoluble table rests and alongwhich it is adapted to travel toward and from the cutter and a centerfor the said table and the sheet material having a pro gressiveadvancing movement toward the cutter which provides for the spiralcutting.

. 2. A machine for cutting sheet material spirally into a continuousstrip comprising,

essentially, a cutter, a revoluble table which supports the sheetmaterial and which to gether. with the sheet material-is advancedprogressively. toward the cutter to provide for the spiral cutting, abed upon which the said revoluble table rests and along which it isadapted to travel toward andfrom the a cutter and a cutting tableseparating the sheet material from the revoluble table. at the cuttingpoint in the machine.

3. A machine for cutting sheet material spirally into a continuous stripcomprising, essentially, a cutter, a revoluble table which supports thesheet material and which together with the sheet material is advancedprogressively toward the cutter to provide forthe spiral cutting, acutting table by which the sheet material is supported clear,

of the revoluble table at the cuttingpoint in the machine, and a lifterby which corners or projecting portions, and the like, of the sheetmaterial are lifted to pass over the said cutting table. i

4. A machine for cutting sheet material sp rally into a continuous stripcomprising,

essentially, a cutter, a revoluble table which supports the sheetmateriaha center for the said table and the sheet material having aprogressive advancing movement toward the cutter which provides for thespiral cutting, and table-revolving means. engaging'with the tableapproximately at the cutting point in the machine.

5. A machine for cutting sheet material 6. A machine for cutti sheetmaterial n -h I e n spirally into a continuous strip comprising,essentially, a cutter, a revoluble table which supports the sheetmaterial, a center for said table and the sheet material having aprogressive advancing movement toward the cutter which provides for thespiral cutting, table-revolving means engaging with the tableapproximately at the cutting point in the machine, and means adjacentthe said point acting on'the marginal. portion of the sheet material tofeed the latter revolubly to the. action of the cutter.

7 A machine for cutting sheet material spirally into a continuous stripcomprising, essentially, a cutter, a revoluble table which supports thesheet material, a center for said table and the sheet material having apro-I gressive advancing movement toward the cutter which providesforthe spiral cutting, Y a feed-disk which through engagement with thetable adjacent the cutting point revolves the table and center, meansfor placing the said feed-disk in and out of action, and a feed-diskwhich engages with the sheet material adjacent the cutting point and isadapted through such engagement to rotate the sheet "material and table.

8. A machine for cutting sheetmaterial spirally'into a continuous stripcomprising, essentially, a cutter, a revoluble table which supports thesheet material, a center for the said table and sheet material, meansactuated by the rotation of the center to give the same a progressiveadvancing travel toward the cutter which provides for the spiralcutting, a feed-disk which through engagement with the table adjacentthe cutting point revolves the table and center, means for placing thesaid feed-disk in and out of action, a feed-disk which engages with thesheet material adjacent the cutting point and is adapted through suchengagement to rotate the sheet material and table, and means forunclutching the revoluble table from the center at a predetermined pointin the travel of the center] 9. in combination, a carriage, a centersupported thereby, means for causing the carriage to travel actuated byrevolution of the center, means for connecting the sheet material tosaid center, a revoluble table, means substantially as describedconnected with the center for engaging with the central portion of thetable to clutch the latter and the center together, and means operatedat a predetermined point in the travel of the carriage to unclutch therevoluble table from the center.

10. In combination, a cutter, a cutting table, a revoluble table whichworks below said cutting table, and a lifter by which projectingportions of sheet material revolving with said revoluble table arelifted to the upper side of the cutting table.

11. In combination, a cutter, a cutting table, a feed-disk above saidtable, a revoluble table working below said cutting table,

means for revolving said revoluble table,

and a lifter by which projecting portions of sheet material revolvingwith said revoluble table are lifted to the upper side of the cuttingtable. v

12. In combination, a cutter, a cutting table, a feed-disk above saidtable, a revoluble table working below said cutting table, a lifter bywhich projecting portions of sheet material revolving with saidrevoluble table are lifted to the upper side of the cutting table, andmeans for deflecting such portions downward to pass beneath the feeddiskand cutter.

13.111 combination, a cutter, a cutting table, a feed-disk above saidtable, a revoluble table working below said cutting table, a lifter bywhich projecting portions of sheet material revolving with saidrevoluble table are lifted to the upper surface of the cutting table,and an inclined traveling belt. by which such portions are deflecteddownward and caused to pass beneath the feed-disk and cutter.

M. In combination, a cutter, a. cutting able, a feed-disk above saidtable, a revoluble table working below said cutting table, a lifter bywhich projecting portions of sheet material are lifted to the uppersurface of the cutting table, and a revolving wheel by which they aredeflected downward so as to pass beneath the feed-disk and cutter.

15. In combination, a cutter, a cutting table, a feed-disk above saidtable, a revoluble table working below said cutting table, a lifter bywhich projecting portions of sheet material revolving with saidrevoluble table are lifted to the upper surface of the cutting table,and an inclined traveling belt and a revolving wheel by which suchportions are deflected downward and caused to pass beneath the feed-diskand cutter.

16. In combination, a cutter, a carriage, a center for the sheetmaterial in connection with said carriage, means actuated through therevolution of the center for advancing the carriage and center towardthe cutter, a revoluble table for supporting said sheet material, meansfor clutching said revoluble table to the center, a cutting tableadjacent the cutter beneath which the rev oluble table works and overwhich the sheet material extends, a lower feed-disk engaging with therevoluble table at the under side of the cutting table, an upperfeeddisk engaging with the sheet material at the upper side of thecutting table, and means whereby at a predetermined point in the advanceof the carriage the revoluble table is unclutched from the center.

17. In combination, a cutter, a carriage, a center for the sheetmaterial in connection with said carriage, means actuated through therevolution I of the center for advancing the carriage and center towardthe cutter, a revoluble table for supporting said sheet material, meansfor throwing said lower feed-disk into and out of operation forrevolving the revoluble table, means for clutching said revoluble tableto the center, a cutting table adjacent the cutter beneath which therevoluble table works and over which the sheet material extends, a lowerfeed-disk engaging with the revolu-- ble table at the under side of thecutting table, an upper feed-disk engaging with the sheet material attheupper side of the cut ting table, and means whereby at apredetermined point in the advance of the carriage the revoluble tableis unclutched from the center.

18. In combination, a cutter, a carriage, a center for the sheetmaterial in connection with said carriage, means actuated through therevolution of the center for advancing the carriage and center towardthe cutter, a revoluble table for supporting said sheet material, amovable support for said lower feed-disk operable manually to move thesaid disk into and out of engagement with the revoluble apron, means forclutching said revolu'ble table to the center, a cutting table adjacentthe cutter beneath which the revoluble table works and over which thesheet material extends, a lower feed-disk engaging with the revolubletable at the 15 under side of the cutting table, an upper feed-diskengaging with the sheet material at the upper side of the cutting table,and means whereby at a predetermined point in the advance of thecarriage the revoluble 20 table is unclutched from the center.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

FRANK W. MERR'IUK. WVitnesses:

CHAS. F. RANDALL, ELLEN 0. SPRING.

